Friday, March 30, 2007

A growing consensus

While the Cons (and the Greens) have yet to respond to the amended Clean Air Act, the voice of the environmental movement on the issue hasn't wasted any time in praising the revised bill and calling for it to be passed:

Environmental groups are calling on the government to pass the new version of what used to be called the Clean Air Act, after opposition parties radically altered the bill through amendments in a special Commons committee.

The Climate Action Network says the Clean Air and Climate Change Act is much stronger than the government's original proposal, which was widely attacked as weak and toothless.

CAN-RAC is a network of over 40 member organizations including Greenpeace, Sierra Club of Canada, Equiterre, Pembina Institute, KAIROS, The Assembly of First Nations, World Wildlife Fund and the David Suzuki Foundation as well as major faith and labour organizations. Members work together for federal, provincial and local government action in defense of the climate.

In sum, the Climate Action Network's take essentially amounts to an endorsement of the amended bill by the bulk of the major players in Canada's environmental movement. And that makes it virtually certain that no party - even the Cons with their previous disdain for the environment - can be eager to precipitate an election based on an environmental issue with such a wide range of actors on the other side. Moreover, the Cons' laughable claim within the article that the amendments are "weaker" than their initial plan will look all the more ridiculous with this group saying otherwise.

Of course, the Cons might choose instead to try to bring their own government down on another issue before C-30 gets dealt with. But they'll plainly face a heavy price if they decide to make this the trigger for an election - and would still be best advised to make this one of their strongest steps toward the centre rather than fighting a losing battle against the environment.